


Behind the Masks

by punkhalfwerewolf



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Arranged Marriage AU, F/M, Medieval AU, Royalty AU, identity angst but set in medieval times, loosely based off of merlin, plagg and tikki are dragons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2018-10-14 08:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10532796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkhalfwerewolf/pseuds/punkhalfwerewolf
Summary: Options seem to be dwindling as the dark sorcerer Hawkmoth continues to prove a menacing threat. Prince Adrien has no choice but to concede to his Father's wishes, while Princess Marinette knows that there is little else to be done. An alliance through marriage between the two kingdoms seems to be one of the only solutions left, despite Adrien and Marinette's reluctance. Yet, both Adrien and Marinette have a secret that could very well be the key to defeating Hawkmoth once and for all.





	1. Chapter 1

“These are dark times,” King Gabriel proclaimed, staring out the window, his back to the room full of top officials and advisors. The room filled with silence as King Gabriel’s words echoed through the room. Every person held their breath; they knew better than to interrupt their king as he was thinking. They knew he was formulating a plan, and even if he had nothing they would not be the ones held responsible for potentially holding the king back. There was a clear threat to the kingdoms of Paris; more and more people from the outskirt villages were disappearing and rumors were quickly spreading. The name Hawkmoth was increasingly whispered, with a meaning of the name yet to be found. 

Adrien sighed as the silence stretched on. He was seated to the right of the throne, the proper place for the prince of the Agreste kingdom. Adrien’s thoughts, while not betrayed by his facial expressions, were raging. Sure, he was prince, but what did that really mean if he could not openly state his ideas? Adrien had so many ideas, yet had been told time and time again that he did not have the experience to back up his ideas. What good was experience in face of such a grand threat as Hawkmoth? Adrien had learned from a young age to bottle his emotions, yet some days he felt he would crack at any moment. 

“We’ll have to strengthen our relationship with our allies,” Gabriel said, breaking the silence as he turned away from the window and faced his advisors seated on the dining table. 

“Adrien is soon to be of age,” one of the advisors pointed out. 

In response to hearing his name Adrien looked up, his eyes going wide. He didn’t like where this conversation was headed. Growing up surrounded by people of royal blood, it didn’t take long for Adrien to discover that human empathy was difficult to find among such people. Very few cared for the true wellbeing of the kingdom. They looked at the threat of Hawkmoth as something to prevent reaching them personally, rather than stopping the very current threat that Hawkmoth posed to the poor. To think that he would have to waste time that could be spent fighting Hawkmoth to prepare for some wedding to some princess who couldn’t care less about the people was abhorable. Yet, Adrien knew he would have no choice in such matters. His only job was to say ‘Yes, father.’ 

“Building a stronger alliance through matrimony? Yes, that is an excellent idea. We will appear stronger that way.” Gabriel nodded his head, mulling over the idea. “Very well. You are all dismissed for now. We will resume these discussions tomorrow.” 

The advisors filed out of the room, leaving Adrien and King Gabriel alone. 

“Father, you aren’t serious right?” Adrien asked, already aware of the likely answer.

“Adrien, one day you will be king of this land and you have to start realizing that every action you take must be for the good of the kingdom. Marriage is only one vital part of that, but a necessary part nonetheless. Hawkmoth may be the deadliest sorcerer to ever live, but we must not show weakness. Do you understand?” Gabriel placed a hand on Adrien’s shoulder and stared into his eyes, willing for his compliance. 

“I understand, Father,” Adrien replied reluctantly. 

“Good. Now go up to your chambers; tomorrow will be a long day.”

“Yes, Father.”

* * *

 

Adrien marched towards his room, his anger now clear on his face. 

“Is everything okay, Your Highness?” Nino, Adrien’s man in waiting, called out as Adrien stormed past him. He quickly increased his pace to catch up to Adrien. Nino followed Adrien all the way to his room, closing the door gently behind him. 

Adrien sat down on a chair and buried his face in his hands. Nino stood in front of Adrien, knowing the best course of action would be to let his childhood friend take a few moments to calm down before speaking. 

Slowly, Adrien lifted his head up, but did not make eye contact with Nino. “Father believes the best course of action to combat Hawkmoth’s kidnappings is to have me married off.”

Nino was silent. They both had known for a long time that such course of action would be inevitable, yet the idea had not really settled in either of their heads. 

“How is that possibly going to stop people from disappearing in the outer villages?” Adrien anguishly exclaimed.

“Adrien, you need to be patient. One day you will be King and all of this will be behind you,” Nino reassured Adrien. 

“But what if I’m not good enough? What if Hawkmoth gets so powerful that there isn’t a kingdom left to protect?” Adrien stood up and began pacing. 

“I apologize Your Highness, but you could not possibly be more wrong! I’ve been by your side since we could barely walk. We learned to fight together. I have seen with my own eyes just how capable you are, both on the battlefield and off. If you wouldn’t make a good King, then there is truly no hope that anyone else would.” 

“Thank you Nino,” Adrien replied quietly. 

Nino nodded his head and turned to leave, “Rest well.” 

Adrien was left with his thoughts, thoughts that were overwhelmed with guilt. He had the power to stop Hawkmoth, yet how could he face Hawkmoth if he could not even face his own father? Adrien had been hiding himself from his father for as long as he could remember. He was keeping the key to possibly standing a chance against Hawkmoth hidden away - and for what? Because he was afraid of how his father would look at him once he knew? Was having magic really that bad? Every day, Adrien felt closer and closer to coming clean to his father, yet every day he could not bring himself to do it. 

Part of Adrien had realized long ago that Gabriel would not take well to his own son having magical abilities. Gabriel had abhorred magic from before Adrien was even born. But Adrien could no longer just stand by and do nothing while innocent people suffered. Not anymore. It was time Adrien finally utilized his powers for good. 

Adrien had practiced and developed his magical skills to the best of his abilities ever since the fateful day about two years ago when a mysterious book of spells had appeared in his chambers. How the book came to appear in his chambers was a complete mystery, and though Adrien was initially suspicious, only good had come from the book thus far. 

Today was the day. Today, he would truly begin to start making a difference. Ceasing his pacing, Adrien turned towards his closet and grabbed a black cloak along with an old black garment that hadn’t seen the light of day in years. He threw on the cloak and fashioned the black garment into a temporary mask. He then threw open the window and scanned the area for potential guards he would have to avoid as well as something he could enchant. Not seeing any guard in the immediate vicinity, Adrien spotted a rope and focused his concentration upon it. His eyes began to glow as the rope ascended towards the window. His eyes flashed back to normal as he grabbed the rope, now level with his window. Tightening the rope to a handle, Adrien threw the rope down and slid down along it. He then crouched behind a barrel and look around to ensure that there were no guards. 

Seeing none, Adrien sprinted in the direction of the woods. He would occasionally have to duck behind a barrel or a cart as a guard passed, but it wasn’t long until he was out of their vicinity. The farther he got away from the castle, the less he had to worry about being spotted. Within minutes, Adrien had sprinted far enough to be out of the castle walls and on clear land. 

As Adrien approached the woods, he began to realize he wasn’t too sure what his plan was. He couldn’t exactly get to the edge of the kingdom by foot; and even if he could, it was most definitely not a safe journey. He suddenly stopped in a clearing just shy of the beginning of the tall trees that characterized the seemingly everlasting woods. Adrien wasn’t sure what had compelled him to stop. Yet, he couldn’t find an ounce of him wanting to move. It was as if there was something inside of him willing for him to be at that exact place in that exact moment. 

And then he heard it. 

It started off as a faint noise that seemed to be coming from his own head. It was a hiss of a word that was incomprehensible. It was steadily getting louder until Adrien realized the sound was not coming from his head. 

_ “Chat Noir.”  _

Adrien looked up to see a creature bigger than any he had ever seen before. A dragon. It was as dark as the night, and Adrien probably wouldn't have even seen it if it weren't for its brilliant green eyes. Adrien should have been scared; he should have been running in the opposite direction. Yet, he somehow felt a connection with the creature. He stood rooted to his spot as the dragon descended in front of Adrien. 

“It’s about time that we met, Chat Noir,” the dragon said in a grand voice that only Adrien seemed to hear. It seemed that the dragon was speaking directly into Adrien’s mind. 

“Chat Noir?” Adrien asked, at a loss to process anything else about the strange occurrence. 

“That is your name. It is your destiny. I have sensed this day coming for many eons; you have a power that you have yet to realize. The fate of your people partly depends on you.”

“Destiny?” Adrien astonishedly whispered. 

“Why is it you came here tonight? What led you to this exact spot?” the dragon persisted, its eyes growing wider as they stared into Adrien’s. 

“I-I just want to stop Hawkmoth from hurting my people. I’ve heard enough about destiny in my life from my father. I am done with waiting for something to happen.” Adrien stood up straighter, a new sense of determination flooding through him. He had been told so many times that it was his destiny to rule the kingdom, but what did any of that really mean if he did not act? How could he successfully rule a kingdom if he didn’t prioritize its well-being over all else? 

The dragon simply nodded. 

“Climb onto my back. There is much you have to see. Also, you may address me as Plagg,” the dragon, Plagg, stated as he bent down to make it easier for Adrien to climb on. 

Adrien didn’t question Plagg’s words and unhesitatingly climbed onto the dragon’s back. The second Adrien was secure, Plagg took off. 


	2. Chapter 2

_“Marinette…..Marinette…,”_  a faint voice whispered urgently. Marinette tossed and turned, willing the voice to go away. “No, no!” Marinette yelled out.

 

“My Lady!” A much louder voice called out, quickly approaching Marinette’s bedside.

 

Marinette’s eyes shot open and Marinette sat up, trying to calm her pounding heartbeat. This had not been a rare occurrence lately. For months now, an ancient voice had been plaguing Marinette’s sleep to the point where she dreaded the moonlit hours.

 

“My Lady, are you alright?” Marinette’s lady-in-waiting, Alya, asked worriedly.

 

“Y-yes, yes. I didn’t mean to alarm you, Alya.”

 

The second Alya was out of sight, Marinette reached under her bed to pull out the large, ancient-looking book that had occupied all of her thoughts for the past couple of weeks. It was unlike any she had ever seen, and the origin of it was still a mystery. The delicate gold-rimmed pages were filled with a language she had never heard of. The second she read the words on the pages aloud, power surged through her, bringing the words to life. The words gave her the power to do things that she should not have been able to do.

 

It started out small, moving an object an inch or two. But, as she flipped through the pages of the leatherbound ancient book, Marinette quickly realized the extent of how powerful the book she held within her hands truly was. It was magic.

 

She wasn’t sure what any of this meant yet. Sure, she had heard of magic, but it was generally associated with evil and misery. Never had she heard of magic being used for anything but the diabolical. Hawkmoth used magic, and she had seen the damage that he had done to countless villages. Would her dabbling in magic lead her down the same path?

 

“My lady, your parents are waiting for you downstairs,” Alya reminded her.

 

“Oh, of course, I’ll be right down.”

 

Marinette shook her head and she got out of bed. This wasn’t really the time to be pondering the moral aspects of magic. If anyone were to find out what she had in her possession, she wouldn’t get off easy, no matter her title.

* * *

“Ah, Marinette. Good morning,” Marinette’s mother, Queen Sabine greeted her.

 

“Good morning,” Marinette greeted her parents as she took a seat at the table where breakfast was already set for her.

 

“How are your preparations for tomorrow’s journey?” King Tom asked Marinette.

 

“Tomorrow?”

 

“The tournament we have been invited to at Agreste Kingdom. Surely, you remember?” Queen Sabine gently reminded her daughter.

 

Marinette had forgotten. What with the appearance of the book, she had spared little thought to anything else.

 

“Is this really the best time for a tournament? Hawkmoth is growing in power every day, we should be preparing for any future attacks. Tournaments are just an excuse for the royal families to socialize and watch people fight for entertainment,” Marinette said.

 

“Who says we can’t do that at the tournament? Putting on a brave front and uniting the many kingdoms in the area may be the best option right now. We will be stronger together,” King Tom pointed out.

 

Marinette acquiesced; her father did make a fair point. Maybe the people of the other kingdoms were different, maybe they viewed Hawkmoth as a greater threat. Perhaps, the threat wouldn’t be brushed aside as she had seen done so many times before just because ‘Hawkmoth had never directly harmed them’, so who cared? Marinette was sick of it.

 

“Plus, it may do you well to enjoy yourself. Just because Hawkmoth is looming doesn’t mean we have to give up all of our happiness. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone you like this time,” Queen Sabine said.

 

Marinette sighed, but knew there was no point in arguing with her parents. She didn’t like any of the other royal princes and princesses, and had made her parents fully aware of that on several occasions. However, soon or later, she would have to marry one of them. Political alliances strengthened kingdoms, and as the only heir, it was her duty.

 

* * *

Marinette had seldom lay in bed that night when the voice returned.

 

_“Marinette”_

 

Marinette tossed in her bed and pulled her covers up to block the sound. It had to be all in her head, she just needed to focus on falling asleep and the voice would go away. For once, she wanted to get a good night’s sleep in order to have the energy to deal with all the ignorance and snobbery she would encounter the next day.

 

“ _Marinette!”_ The voice called out, louder than Marinette had ever heard it.

 

Marinette shot up. The voice was definitely not coming from her head. She began to feel a sudden, unexplainable urge to go outside and chase after the unknown voice. Without a thought, she opened her wardrobe and grabbed the biggest cloak she could find: a deep red cloak more than capable of covering her face from any onlookers. With the cloak secured around her, she crept out of her chambers and into the dark hallways. Her feet carried her with a mind of their own.

 

She was out in the courtyard when she finally stopped to take a breath. What was she doing? It definitely wasn’t proper for a princess to be wandering around unguarded at this time of night, yet something within her would not listen to reason. She carried on, out of the courtyard, out of the castle walls, and towards the thick cover of the forest trees.

 

There was a rustling sound ahead of her, and she could barely make out something in the clearing ahead. Picking up the pace, she quickly made her way into the clearing where she came face to face with a beast - a dragon.

 

Marinette shrieked. Yes, she had been exposed to a fair bit of magic in the past couple of days, but a magical creature was a whole new level. Every rational thought in her head was begging her to run, yet she stayed rooted in place. Her eyes were glued to the creature; it was majestic with red and black scales and though large in size, it did not seem harmful.

 

“Ladybug, I’m glad the time has finally come for our meeting,” the dragon spoke.

 

The voice was far less threatening than Marinette had anticipated, not that she was expecting words at all. She had expected a menacing growl and death following soon after. Yet, she remained unharmed and instead found herself questioning her sanity, which frankly she would take over being mauled to death by a dragon.

 

“I’ve lost my mind, haven’t I?” Marinette said, her heartbeat soaring.

 

The dragon made a noise that resembled laughter. “No, Ladybug, you have been chosen for a special purpose. Forces of evil have been stirring and only equal magical forces of good can have any chance of putting the evil at bay.”

 

The word ‘evil’ struck Marinette, causing her to stay put instead of running as far away as she could. Hadn’t she been complaining just that morning that no one was taking any action against the evils of Hawkmoth? Could this be her chance to actually make a difference? And this would finally help explain why she had become in possession of the magical book in the first place. Though her mind was telling her otherwise, her gut was pleading with her to stay for even the most miniscule chance of perhaps saving the people suffering under Hawkmoth.

 

“What do you mean by ‘chosen’?” Marinette asked, her voice shaky.

 

“You have been chosen to wield the powers of Ladybug, and only she, with the aid of Chat Noir, can combat the powers of Hawkmoth. Without them, all hope would be lost. It is a great responsibility that should not be taken lightly, but I have no doubt that you were chosen for a reason. Come, Ladybug, and I will show you the reality behind Hawkmoth’s spread of power.”

 

With a surge of bravery, Marinette approached the dragon and climbed onto its back, each second questioning what was driving her actions. She could feel her adrenaline rising and knew that this one small action could either change her life forever or be her demise. Yet, in that moment there was something within her that made her feel that perhaps, this was her destiny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ha sorry for such a long gap between updates, but I finally have a solid outline for this now, so I promise no more year-long gaps lol. 
> 
> feel free to come bother me on tumblr @prongsalicious! 
> 
> comments & kudos are v appreciated<3


	3. Chapter 3

 

     The dragon, who Marinette learned was named Tikki, took her to unimaginable heights. She soared high above the trees; the world seemed to be at her fingertips. For a moment, her troubles were gone. There was no Hawkmoth, no war. She was just a girl with a  _ dragon _ , and nothing could stop the feeling of euphoria that was overcoming her.

      But she knew this couldn’t be. She couldn’t be the one to stop Hawkmoth; she had other responsibilities. She was a princess, not a warrior. There were other people to handle Hawkmoth, more qualified people. She was nothing more than a glorified diplomat. 

     Tikki began to slow and screams could be heard in the distance. Marinette could faintly see flames, and a strong urge to help rose up in her. Tikki flew in circles around the scene, giving Marinette ample time to fully take in the scene before her. Scenes of misery and destruction lay before her. There was no sign of the instigator of the destruction, but it was clear to Marinette that this incident was linked to no other than Hawkmoth. The flames were dying down, but the damage to the small village had already been done. Families huddled in corners, clinging to their loved ones and hoping that they would be spared. 

     Tikki then turned away from the village and descended into a small clearing. Once Tikki was safely on the ground, Marinette wasted no time in climbing off of the great dragon’s back and turning towards the direction of the small village. 

     “Now do you understand why there is such a dire need for Ladybug?” Tikki asked. 

     “Yes, but why me? Surely, there are others more capable than me?” Marinette pleaded. 

     “It must be you,” Tikki declared. She then rose her head and blew flames from her mouth.

     Marinette flinched, believing for a second that the flames were aimed towards her for her dissent, but the flames quickly disappeared leaving a floating object in its place. On closer inspection, the object was a beautiful red pendant with black dots. 

     “This is called a Miraculous. As Ladybug, it is yours. It will enhance your powers and serve as your connection to me. With it you can communicate with me and summon me as you wish.”

     Marinette hesitated. She understood the horror that Hawkmoth’s attacks entailed, but she still felt that she was not capable of bringing upon his demise. Yet, the dragon was so sure. Marinette reached her hand out towards the floating magical object. It seemed to glow brighter the closer her hand got. She clasped the pendant. There was a flash of red as she secured it around her neck, and for a moment Marinette thought she had gone blind. 

     When the light receded, Marinette looked around to realize she was alone. She looked up to the image of Tikki slowly fading away from sight. 

     Marinette froze in place, praying that it was just her eyes tricking her. Tears welled up in her eyes. It was the middle of the night, she had no way of defending herself, and she had no idea where she was. All because she decided to live in a little fantasy and naively follow a dragon. 

     Except, she wasn’t defenseless. She had magic, though whether she could properly use it or not was another question. She would be fine. Marinette squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to believe. She repeated the mantra over and over again:  _ I will be fine.  _

     Taking a deep breath, Marinette reopened her eyes and began slowly walking in the direction that she hoped she had come from.  _ I’m fine. I’m fine.  _

     She picked up her pace, hoping that would get her out of the forest faster. Marinette wasn’t even quite sure if the direction she instinctively chose was the right one, but there was no point in second guessing herself when she had no way of knowing otherwise. 

     The crunch of the leaves under her feet were deafening. Her ears were on high alert, waiting for something to inevitably jump out of her. She proceeded along the path, when she was met by the smell of smoke. She knew the source of the smoke, the images of the burning village still fresh in her mind. 

     Her heart was beating out of her chest as she found herself approaching the site of destruction. Adrenaline drove her forward, despite the voice in her head urging her to turn back. The trees thinned in front of her as the village came into view. Neither the screams nor the fight had died down, though it had seemed a hopeless case from the air. 

     Now, being level with the scene, Marinette was able to pick up on details about the scene before her that were indiscernible from the air. For one the threat seemed to be one of the villagers. He had grown in size and was floating a few inches off of the ground. His eyes held an abnormal purple hue. It was now or never. 

     As Marinette was about to leave her spot and mark herself vulnerable to the Hawkmoth-possessed villager, she caught site of a figure in a black cloak quickly approaching the floating villager. Marinette stayed rooted to her spot, observing the new addition to the scene. It was a man, though Marinette had a difficult time getting a good glimpse of his face on account of the obscuring hood of the cloak . He held a sword and swung it in the direction of the floating man; however, right when the sword was about to make contact with the man, he vanished. 

    The sword hit the floor and the cloaked man stumbled. In a flash the possessed man re-appeared behind the cloaked man unbeknownst to him and raised his arm to strike. Marinette lunged out from behind the tree. The need to protect the man in front of her surged within her. 

    “Felix leporum!” She yelled as she pointed her hand towards the villager. The villager was thrown back onto the ground, where he lay unconscious. 

     Marinette breathed a sigh of relief. She had done it; maybe Tikki was right, maybe she could help defeat Hawkmoth after all. Marinette stared down at the victim of Hawkmoth’s possession. 

     The man in the cloak was behind her, slowly getting up off of the ground. His eyes were wide in awe of Marinette. “That was amazing!” 

     Marinette, whose back was to the cloaked man, flinched and remained facing away from him. She couldn’t risk getting recognized. What would her parents think if they found out she had put her life on the line, when she had a kingdom she was responsible for. Before the man could make his way to face her, Marinette took off at a sprint away from the village and back towards the clearing where Tikki had originally left her. 

     “No! Don’t leave! Who are you, what’s your name?” The man called out in vain to Marinette, whose figure was already disappearing among the trees. 

     Marinette did not slow until she was absolutely sure that nobody followed her. When she did stop she leaned against a tree to catch her breath and let herself come to terms with what she had done as she approached the clearing. She had used magic,  _ actual magic _ , but in front of a stranger. Could the stranger be trusted? What if he saw her face, would she be punished for her magic, despite being of royal blood? 

     Marinette shook her head, there was no use in getting caught up in the what-ifs. Right now, she had to focus on how to get back to her castle. She looked down and fingered the pendant Tikki had given her. It had a faint red glow and the more she held it, the brighter it seemed to gleam.  _ Oh Tikki, where are you?  _

     As if on cue, Tikki’s red scales came into view above her. Marinette let out a sigh of relief. Never would she have thought that she could feel such happiness at the sight of a dragon. She climbed onto Tikki’s back, her questions fading from her mind as she yearned for her own bed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come talk to me on tumblr @prongsalicious !
> 
> comments & kudos are v appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think! 
> 
> Also shoutout to @thehufflepuffshuffle on tumblr (littleleyline on ao3) for editing!!!!  
> Also feel free to hmu on tumblr: @prongsalicious


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